On Top
by TheCatEyedLady
Summary: Alternate Timeline: Claire and Elle runaway together after learning Peter's powers were taken by his father.


_Remember Rio and get down_

_Like some other DJ, in some other town_

_She's been trying to tell me to hold tight_

_But I've been waiting this whole night_

_But I've been down across a road or two_

_But now I've found the velvet sun_

_That shines on me and you_

Elle let out a petulant little huff, electricity crackling at the tip of her fingers and zapping the fine, sparse hairs on Claire's arms to life. The only thing that that earned her, was a slight downwards tug of Claire's mouth, as if the younger girl couldn't seem to decide whether she wanted to dignify that with a response. Torn between reprimanding Elle's impatience and giving her the silent treatment. Elle pouted as Claire opted for the latter and instead focused on the road, knowing that as far as misbehaving went, there wasn't much the older girl could do. She was impatient, not stupid. Truth be told, the driver was probably just as impatient, but unfortunately for them both, she hadn't inherited her father's ability to fly and Elle knew -for having tried before- that pouring electricity in to the engine would most certainly _not_ make the car go faster. But the night was stretching on, the horizon blacker than ink ahead of them, on what seemed like never ending plains and Elle was squirming with frustration. It's not that Elle couldn't resist dipping in the cookie jar, but she had a lot of trouble with the cookie being dangled in front of her then snatched away.

They had started their evening in Billings at a dance club, keeping to themselves and minding their own business. Somewhere along the way however, Claire forgot this was _Montana_ and that while two blonde women were otherwise rather inconspicuous, two _attractive_ women on the other hand always warranted attention, and, when said two attractive women danced with each other as a closed pair, rebuffing masculine advances... It was only asking for trouble. The pair made the mistake of losing themselves in each other, mutually teasing each other's senses and arousing their lustful desires. It should have been clear to anyone watching that they simply weren't interested in anyone else because no one mattered to them but each other. Of course, as Claire had explained to Elle many times, the Patriarchal institution of white male entitlement was never a good mix with alcohol. Elle wasn't too sure what the Patriarchy was, but she understood entitlement, for having observed it so many times when she worked for Primatech. So to her, there was nothing weird or abnormal about defending what she considered to be _hers_. And why should she have gone easy on that dude? He was drunk and he was an asshole and _no one_ had asked him to put his grubby paws all over Claire's ass. Maybe she overreacted just a little, by shoving him, but at least she didn't _zap_ him... The first time. Things got out of hand quickly as Elle shouted over the music, ignoring Claire's pleading, a hand on Elle's bicep to prevent her from going after the guy. Having spilled his drink all over himself, his face had contorted in to one of anger and he'd marched right back up to them grabbing Claire's wrist, angering both girls, and causing Elle to zap him rather violently, this time.

Elle had been ready for more, but Claire had snapped out of it, grasping the situation fully and dragging Elle out of the club. Her girlfriend could tell she was angry, but she didn't berate her, just getting in to the car silently, telling her they'd have to drive far, far away. That's how they ended up speeding towards the northern part of the neighbouring state, North Dakota. Claire said it would be safer to try and cross in to Canada from there, as there were a few unprotected bits of border, and that if word had gotten out fast enough, the agents or the army or whoever the fuck was after them these days would likely expect them to try and escape to Canada directly from Montana. Elle glanced out the window, she'd lost track of time. All she could think of was the way Claire had been rolling her hips in to her on the dance floor, each bump filled with the promise of a lavish night ahead.

_In the back, uh huh, I can't crack_

_We're on top_

_It's just a shimmy and a shake, uh huh_

_I can't fake, we're on top_

_We're on top_

At this point Claire was no longer mad at Elle for having used her power in public. She understood why and how it had happened and to be frank, the fact her pint-sized girlfriend (they were both around 5 ft tall) would start by _shoving_ a man over a foot taller than her was flattering for a number of reasons. No, right now she was mostly irritated by the fact they had to drive through this empty landscape and the fact Elle had been behaving childishly the whole way. Deeper than that, however, she was just as pissed off at the fact they had to put off their intimate time because of something so idiotic. The amount of times Claire had wished she could have inherited flight was becoming stupid in sheer numbers.

Still, their saving grace had finally come around 3 am, as they arrived in a laughably small town in Saskatchewan. They found a small place to stay at what appeared to be some kind of hybrid between a motel and a BNB. To say it was a relief for both of them would have been an understatement, but as Claire tried to ignore her girlfriend's impatient zapping of her ass, she knew she wouldn't catch a break until they were alone in their room. Keeping an entirely straight face, she put the cash down on the counter, knowing that if she handed it directly to the clerk, the lady might get shocked. As soon as she had the keys in her hand Elle practically yanked Claire off her feet, dragging her towards their touchdown for the night.

The moment the door was closed, Claire was slammed back against it, her girlfriend pressing up against her and seeking out her lips in that needy manner Claire had come to know and love. She exhaled deeply, pressing her head back against the door as their mouths moulded their shapes mutually, finding that rhythm, that match, that made it seem as if they'd been designed for each other. Occasionally Elle would send these little sparks, the entire kiss crackling with electricity, as she often did when she was excited. Although at times, it was on purpose, Claire could tell by the way they were un-timed and disorderly, that they were involuntary. She smiled in to the kiss lovingly. Her hands pushed Elle's jacket off her shoulders before wandering down her lower back and lifting up the hem of her shirt. Claire could feel the nearly imperceptible twitch of her muscles and her nails trailed up her spine, wanting to feel it more. If the squirming of her partner was any indication, she was loving it. Claire's fingers danced over the belt buckle of Elle's jeans, briefly teasing the soft skin above the hem of her pants before undoing it in a practiced motion. She started to push down the skintight skinnies and stopped mid gesture to squeeze the woman's hips briefly. Elle had to break the kiss and back away to finish ridding herself of her pants, and their was a brief pause. Not long. Just enough for them to make eye contact, and remember where they were and what they'd just been through. After having been on the run, they'd finally made it to the neighbouring country. They were _safe._ They grinned and flung themselves at one an other Claire pushing Elle back on the bed practically ripping her shirt off with excitement because suddenly it was no longer just a question of need. Suddenly they were celebrating. They were _free_. They were no longer together because they needed comfort, or safety... no longer together out of necessity now, but out of desire, and Claire could not find the words in her mind to formulate that.

As she pulled the last of their respective clothes off, she straddled Elle's hips and took a moment to admire her woman, every part of her etched and sculpted in perfect, tiny proportions. A little china doll. And Claire treated her as such, because for all the roughness and kink that Elle may display, Claire had understood that there had been a great lack of tenderness, of compassion, of affection in her life. While her girlfriend may never admit it out loud, Claire could tell she needed it, and enjoyed it above all else at times. She leaned down to kiss her again, tugging at her lower lip with her teeth, flicking the tip of her tongue over it and adoring the little jolts and shudders they elicited, electrical or otherwise. She broke away, briefly regretting the lost contact before quickly comforting herself by pressing her mouth to the corner of Elle's jaw, sucking softly on the sensitive skin, and smirking against her throat as she felt her girlfriend arching beneath her. Sometimes, Claire would make love to her like this from the beginning to the end. Other times however, she would tease Elle with her gentle touch with the sole purpose of working her up. And on days where Claire felt particularly creative? She would drive her girlfriend mad, abruptly switching between rough and tender.

The ex-cheerleader lowered her hips slowly, her eyes fluttering for a brief moment as they bumped against Elle's whom jerked upwards, fingers curling in to fists. Claire began to grind her hips languidly, one hand cupping Elle's cheek before sliding downwards flatly, across the side of her neck, over her collarbone and stopping at her chest to trail a mischievous finger on the swell of her breast. Elle let out a nearly inaudible whine, her upper body squirming lightly, aching for more. Claire chuckled breathily, and gently switched from the pad of her finger, to the tip of her nail, drawing invisible patterns upon Elle's heated skin. Claire heard a faint crackling and a pop, smiling as her eyes met stringent blue, before finally granting Elle's silent wish. A flick of the thumb over an engorged nipple was rewarded with a loud moan and a sigh of her name. Claire shuddered her hips jerking in response, quickening the over all pace as she sighed heavily through her nose, lips slightly ajar. She leaned down, so that she was positioned further horizontally, kissing Elle briefly lightly sucking at her tongue before licking and nibbling her way down to the breast she'd been so deftly teasing with her hand. Hot breath, followed by a cool blow of air whizzed by her lips as she attentively observed Elle's reactions. The moment she closed her lips on the hardened nub, she found herself moaning while Elle's hips bucked upwards abruptly.

Elle trembled, her voice wavering as she whispered "kiss me", something Claire never thought she'd hear from her, spoken in that tone. Claire shifted, so that she was now lying on top of Elle, heart to heart, Elle's slender fingers threading through her hair on one hand, pressing against the poll of Claire's neck. Claire stopped moving, in spite of her girlfriend's incessant squirming and upset little whines. She too tangled one of her hands in Elle's hair, while the other lingered at her hips. With one last, long look in to cobalt-coloured eyes Claire's lips found Elle's, soft as a flower petal against one's skin. She made sure to alternate between long moments of kissing her fully on the mouth, and pressing her lips to suck against her pulse, knowing, sensing by the way her movements changed, that Elle was progressively losing her mind's grip on anything. Claire's own body was building up a storm as it rocked in time to Elle's but the tremors and the quivering followed, rather than matched, the other woman's. Bright blue light illuminated the room when Claire softly whispered "baby..." in to Elle's ears, registering every shudder of her body as she came. She herself, wasn't trailing too far behind.

_The day is breaking, we're still here_

_Your body's shaking, and it's clear_

_You really need it, so let go_

_And let me feed it, but you know_

Elle looked straight up to Claire's face, blue eyes captivated by the way her features tensed and relaxed, contorted and distorted. She was beautiful, straddling her in a way that showcased to Elle, the full splendour of her body. Her thick golden mane cascaded down her shoulders and her back like a savage waterfall of gold, and the gleam of her damp lips catching the early glare of the sunrise's first rays. Elle's grasp on the concept of religion was usually murky, and nonsensical, but seeing Claire this way now, she at least understood what a goddess must be. Breath, after breath was snatched from the younger woman's lips to Elle's never ending delight. A hand on the nubile hips, the other on a powerful thigh, one could have thought Elle idle, while she was anything but. Her vice-like grip was meant to keep Claire's body under control, as she poured electricity inside of it, ignoring the telltale sign of the skin singed against her hands. Elle always had mixed feelings about this, her romantic involvement in Claire having brought up to the surface things that had been suppressed by her defence mechanism.

Ultimately whatever her hesitations may be, Elle knew that they both needed this. Elle had to get rid of the extra power and current that her body would produce under intense pressure- pain, adrenaline, orgasms. It would get to a point where she couldn't simply reabsorb it and that led to suffering which led to crankiness or various electronics breaking down around her. Claire craved not the pain because she enjoyed it- she disliked pain as any average person would. Elle knew, because the first few times they did this Claire would make these heart-wrenching little sounds, as if she were about to cry, and Elle had stopped before being firmly spurred on. No, Elle had come to understand that for Claire there were two things, one sexual, one not. The seeking of pain was entirely non-sexual, it had come from Claire's constant need to feel human, to be reminded that she was a human being, a concept that kind of escaped Elle for many years. Even though she was beginning to understand aspects of being human that had been purposely erased from her, originally, and retained other things, there were certain concepts she'd never quite grasp, like a clueless tourist in a foreign country.

The second, less obvious thing, was in fact, far more relatable to Elle, on a sexual and personal level than the first. She'd understood it quite quickly from the first few times, how, after the wound, when Claire's body would heal, there would be generous amounts of liquid running down her inner thighs. Using her power turned her on, and that was something that Elle could understand. What else could she called those little games of lightly shocking prisoners all these years, but foreplay? It excited her, it turned her on and ultimately relaxed her once she was satisfied. She knew it was the same for Claire, it was a thrill, much like how she would throw herself off a building or hold a lighter to her palm. This was the best compromise without a doubt for the best of them. They needed nothing and no one else and right now, judging by the amount of Claire's wetness mixing in with her own, Elle knew they weren't thinking of anyone or anything else. Elle fixed her eyes on Claire's face again, feeling her body shake violently triggering one final burst of electricity from her hands. Claire screamed out her release loudly while Elle murmured under her breath. "You're so beautiful..." Elle threw her head back closely following Claire in to hitting her peak, closing her eyes for a brief instant, before reopening them when she felt weight on her body. Their eyes met and Claire smiled with her lips parted making her ragged breathing audible. Chest to chest, Elle could feel every beat of Claire's heart against her own, this level of intimacy always making her feel strange- not in a bad way, but for someone who had her whole life, never experienced it, it took some getting used to. She offered a shy smile and Claire kissed her softly before burying her face in Elle's neck. Their fingers laced together with one hand, while Elle placed her other arm around Claire's waist holding her close.

_That I've been down across a road or two_

_But now I've found the velvet sun_

_That shines on me and you_

Claire woke up a few hours later, the morning sun now shining warmly on the both of them. She'd come to that unfortunate point in her life she could tell roughly what time it was based on the angle the light was coming from and much to her relief it was still relatively early, couldn't be any later than 8 am. She'd been stirred from her sleep by Elle's squirming and agitated mumbling. Claire had never been sure what Elle's nightmares were about, but she thought it may've had to do with her awful childhood at the facility and then her developed propency for cold-blooded killing. Claire had become persuaded, after Elle first came to her seeking help, that Elle was not in fact a true sociopath. It was trained in to her, and as their relationship had started to reveal, could be un-learned. But seeing her in any kind of distress usually caused Claire's heart to twitch and she quickly but gently shifted her position so that she was now spooning the other woman, holding her with one arm around her midsection, reaching with her other hand to brush some hair out of Elle's face. She pressed her lips to the shell of her ear, humming softly, trying to appease her. Elle stopped thrashing about almost immediately and retrieved a regular breathing rhythm.

Claire lifted her head for a moment to look at Elle's sleeping face which looked incredibly peaceful in that moment, her relaxed expression lending a hidden softness to her chiseled features. It was strange, Claire thought, several months ago they hated each other. That seemed like a liftetime away. If you'd told her then she'd ever find herself here with Elle, she probably would have laughed to the point of hyper-ventilating. Claire would have never thought in a million years she'd ever see Elle like this, the sun casting down a gentle glow on her face. She looked almost angelic, and it shook something inside of Claire, who wondered how different Elle would be had she been raised like a daughter rather and an experiment. She soon settled down again, enjoying the pleasant feeling of daylight against her skin, and Elle's body pressed along the length of her own. It only hit her as she was falling asleep again, that they were free. The thought alone made her heart sing when she closed her eyes.

_In the back, uh huh, I can't crack_

_We're on top_

_It's just a shimmy and a shake, uh huh_

_I can't fake, we're on top_

_We're on top_

_We bring the bump to the grind, uh huh_

_I don't mind, we're on top_

_It's just a shimmy and a shake, uh huh_

_I can't fake, we're on top_

_We're on top_

It was a little after 10 am by the time they got out of bed. Claire sat on the edge as Elle sorted through her clothes, deciding what to wear. Claire had taught Elle how to efficiently prepare in the morning, as they often couldn't afford to linger anywhere with Pinehearst and the government on their tails. It took a moment for Claire to register what Elle was doing before she burst out laughing. This surprised Elle, who turned around hands on her hips, annoyed.

"What? You're the one who's always telling me to hurry up and make sure we don't-"

She was interrupted mid-sentence by Claire crossing her arms behind her neck and kissing her wide and slow.

"... Not that I'm opposed or anything but shouldn't we be taking off?"

"Elle, where are we?"

"In a motel room, duh."

"Yes but where?"

Elle tapped her foot impatiently, wondering what game Claire was playing. It hit her as she was about to open her mouth to answer. The words in her throat turned to laughter and she carelessly tossed the shirt she'd been holding and kissed Claire. The younger woman squealed a little as she was pushed back and giggled, suddenly the victim of a tickle attack. She fell back on the bed, trying to catch Elle's wrists and lacing her fingers with hers to disarm her. They kissed again, and again, playing with each other, gently rough housing and chasing each other around the room. It was as if, much like last night when they both briefly realized they were free, that they truly had grown to love one an other, even if they'd never spoken out the words. They hid under the guise of partner in crime, of needing each other rather than wanting each other. That was no longer their reality, however, and under any circumstances the prospect would have been terrifying, to both of them. But life's meticulous timing had unleashed this revelation in the middle of a celebration, a shared triumph. A moment in which there was no need for fear because they saw mirrored in each other the exact same thing. They could simply just be.

They were so caught up in each other, in playing that they weren't exactly sure when and how it happened, but it wasn't long before Elle had Claire's back bumping against the wall, squeezing a handful of her ample butt. Grinding their hips together, Claire's head lulled to the side offering up her neck for Elle to nip at, to their great delight both. It was Elle's turn to take the lead, and Claire made no fuss about it, completely docile and content, her control issues in great part dissipated by her happiness and the knowledge they were no longer endangered. With the weight of responsibility now off her shoulders, Claire could simply enjoy being fussed over. No more looking over the shoulder, just looking at Elle. As for Elle? Elle now had security, she was no longer fraught with uncertainty, the constant feeling of having no idea what to do and where to go, having to depend on Claire for direction. She realized, as she pushed Claire down on to the bed, that she really _really_ liked seeing Claire on her back, and how had she not truly noticed before how sexy were her bedroom eyes when she played coy? It pushed all sorts of buttons and they were both glad to be already naked, because it is highly likely Elle would have burned through any obstructing clothing.

_And we don't mean to satisfy tonight_

_So get your eyes off of my pride tonight_

_Cause I don't need to satisfy tonight_

They'd made love again, frivolously, being loud and carefree. They had showered together, Claire trying to ease Elle's fear of water. It was a very slow bathing session, but they now had all the time in the world. By the time they'd gotten dressed it was too late for breakfast, but there was a diner within walking distance that offered some great options for lunch. Their enthusiasm and clearly amorous chemistry seemed out of place and unusual. It wasn't very often that people around here saw anything that remotely resembled young lovers, but ultimately the waitress smiled and shrugged when she took their order. It wasn't so much that they were all over each other, it simply was the _look_. The way their gazes rarely strayed from the other girl, as if they lived in their own bubble.

When their food arrived, they'd simmered down a little, and had gotten suddenly very quiet, as their minds drifted to their respective fugitive thoughts. What had come before, and what came after. Elle thought about her father, now dead, killed by Sylar. She thought about how Claire had helped her deal with grief by teaching her to forgive herself, and beginning to change her mindset about guilt. She'd been taught to feel guilty for things that were way beyond her control, rarely if ever, praised for her accomplishments. She thought about the company and how she didn't really know how to be anything other than a company girl, but the prospect of being free, out in the world was less frightening now that she as with Claire. She could learn. She'd never be normal, but she could learn to _function_ normally. Or with a semblance of normalcy. She really had no idea what was supposed to come next, but she had no real reason to be afraid, because if she faced the truth as it was, she had to admit she had nothing to lose. She wasn't leaving anything behind, her only family dead and the Company having fired her. She had no life to salvage.

Claire on the other hand, had a lot more to sort through. And the difficulty of it all was suddenly hitting her, with the reality of leaving her life behind a lot harder. She thought about her dad- her adoptive one, the man who raised her, along with the mother who taught her more than she'd realized until now. And her adoptive brother, Lyle. And dear little Mr. Muggles, the champion pomeranian. She teared up, heart broken that she'd had to leave them so abruptly, with not a chance to say goodbye to all of them. She comforted herself however in knowing that having made it safely across the border, she could send a postcard- if she were careful enough, and let them know she was fine, that she'd made it. Her mind then drifted to her biological family. The woman who gave birth to her. Would she be okay in the current alarming American climate? She hoped so, because in the little time that Claire had known her, she'd been shown by her how to be honest with herself. She thought of her biological father, Nathan, the man who was now well on his way to becoming president of the United States. The source of all their woes. Something told her the program he'd started while despicable to begin with, had gotten out of his hands and it spelled trouble. No matter how angry the thought of him made him however she couldn't bring herself to hate him. She thought of Peter, her father's brother, her uncle, her hero when they'd first met, with no clue as to who they were to one an other. Her heart clenched because she was going to miss him too, and she knew there was little way of her getting in touch with him without jeopardizing her location. Maybe her dad could transmit her well-wishes? She hoped he would be okay, prayed that his powers would be restored because she'd seen how worthless he felt without them and it pained her to leave him in that state. She thought of her grandparents whom more than anyone were responsible to the whirling pandemonium of absolute fuckery the situation had escalated in to. Her grandmother having taken over Primatech and fired Elle, and from what Peter told her, her grandfather- whom she'd never met, was at the helm of Pinehearst. He'd managed to take Peter's power, manipulate Sylar and pit Nathan against his brother. She would loathe them both for a long time.

Elle noticed her distress from across the table and for a moment tried to figure out what to do, before awkwardly reaching over to squeeze her hand. This seemed to be enough to bring Claire back to the present who was momentarily stunned by the sincerity of the gesture. Claire new that while Elle wasn't naturally apt at social interactions, she'd been train to do certain things in certain situations, but those were always with the intent of a manipulation of a mission, and those always had a practiced mechanicality about them. She couldn't help but smile at Elle, nodding subtly in praise and approval, which caused the older girl's face to light up and smile back. They ate their meal in silence before going back to their motel room.

_It's like a cigarette in the mouth_

_Or a handshake in the doorway_

_I look at you and smile because I'm fine_

There was a moment of awkward uncertainty, the silent question lingering in the air as they lulled about in the room even going so far as to briefly turn the tv on. Their first impulse was to pack, but they questioned whether or not they should stay. Elle finally brought up the elephant in the room with a sarcastic turn of phrase.

"So is this our batcave now or what?"

Claire rolled her eyes and fired back.

"Are the facilities not up to your standards?"

Elle shrugged before replying, this time more honestly.

"No, really, what next? What do we do now?"

It was harder for Elle to really imagine or plan a future, now that she was forcibly cut away from her past- which had come to a dead end anyhow. Claire looked at her for a moment, thinking. She had at least one thing she was certain of wanting to do, and she figured they may as well start with that and take it from there, one step at a time.

"There is one thing I'd like to do. But I'm gonna need a postcard and I don't think we'll find any here in this village of a town."

That was all Elle needed. They packed their things and checked out, the red glare of the sun indicating the end of the day. They put their baggage in the back of the car before heading towards the front. But as Elle was about to open the door, Claire's voice stopped her.

"Hey, do you want to watch the sun set?"

[Ending 1, here. Continue for Alternate Ending 2]

Elle paused, processing the question. It was such an odd request because it was never something she'd done in her life, that had been set up to overlook the little things and only focus what was important to the Company. But she realized with a brief blush the romance and simplicity that came with things like sunsets, and she nodded timidly, and mirrored Claire who climbed on the hood of the car. She glanced down at Claire's hand her mind flickering to the memory of them taking the plane, how Claire had yelled for her to "take my hand!" and how at the time she had no idea it would change her life. She wasn't used to being helped, but the things it had led to were beyond her wildest thoughts. Elle reached for her hand now, quietly, and looked up at Claire, who turned to look at her. Claire's heart fluttered at this earnest display of affection and she smiled wildly at Elle, who returned the gesture instantly. The two girls almost simultaneously slid closer to each other before turning to look ahead, at the vibrant colours stretching over the horizon.

[Ending 2]


End file.
